AOC's Complaint: He Gets Us
We’ve got Russia mounting a new offensive in Ukraine, sending out warships armed with nukes, dispatching BlackJack nuclear bombers... Iran threatening to erase Israel (and us) from the world map... North Korea’s Kim vying for attention by rattling his nuclear saber... The U.S. launching an ICBM to prove we’ve still got chops... Not to mention earthquakes killing and injuring tens of thousands, destroying hundreds of thousands of homes and buildings... Spycraft and UFOs loitering in our national air space...
All hell seems to be breaking loose around us. But what is AOC worried about? Super Bowl ads. Here’s the crazy part: I think she’s on to something.
He Gets Us is an ad campaign that is causing people to blow their gaskets. Some, like AOC, are ticked off because... actually, I forget why she’d mad (she’s always mad). I think because, like Judas, she thought the money could have been better spent on the poor. Then you have secular folks who are offended by Jesus in any way, shape, or form (not the least of which is his claim of being “the way, the truth and the life”). And then you’ve got Christians who are mad that the ads were outrageously expensive, yet failed to share the entire Gospel message...
Yadda, yadda, yadda...
Bottom line: Success!
We’re talking about those ads. We’re debating the validity and effectiveness of those ads. AOC’s forehead is begging for botox as she yells and complains about them. Whatever ad agency came up with the He Gets Us campaign: touchdown! Bonuses, all around.
He Gets Us is a good launching pad for conversations about MUCH bigger issues than advertising budgets at the Super Bowl.
My take: they’re a good launching pad for conversations about MUCH bigger issues than advertising budgets at the Super Bowl. Namely: What will happen to you when you die? And the enormously important partner question: Who is Jesus?
Yep. I’m going there. (And, as you can see: I’m not afraid to throw down a heap of excess punctuation in the process!)
This is the time. This is the place. We need to have the talk.
What happens when we die?
This age-old question (which I’ve wrestled with before in this space) is problematic for a couple of reasons. First, we are all guaranteed to die. Remember the classic “death and taxes” bit? Well, if you are clever and creative, and can afford a good lawyer, you stand of chance of avoiding some of those taxes. However, death... Nope. You can’t sidestep it, dodge it, or outrun it. Death is coming for all of us. Sooner or later.
The second issue is that while we will all eventually die, if you are reading this, you haven’t yet. Died, that is. Neither have I (as of this writing). Which means we don’t know, exactly, what death holds. Is there an afterlife? Do we just disappear? Do we come back as bugs? As angels? As furniture?
Since death is both inevitable and mysterious, it’s only logical that we should seriously consider the subject and, if possible, take action to prepare for it.
I’m not talking about life insurance and will not be attempting to sell you a burial plot. By preparation, I mean: determining your ultimate destination.
This brings us to question numero dos: Who is Jesus?
C.S. Lewis once famously wrote that there are only three valid responses to Jesus. We can deem him Lord, a liar, or a lunatic. If you’ve ever read the New Testament, you understand how accurate this assessment really is. Jesus made all sorts of claims that, if untrue, were wacko and would easily qualify him for an express trip to the psych ward.
However, if he was the real deal – authentically both God and Man dispatched to earth to save mankind – then we’ve got a huge problem.
Since death is both inevitable and mysterious, it’s only logical that we should seriously consider the subject and, if possible, take action to prepare for it.
A liar can be ignored. A lunatic can be dismissed. But the Lord who died and rose again...? Um... What do we do with that?
According to the Bible, and Jesus himself, when we die, we stand before God and he judges our life. Since we’ve all screwed up along the way, breaking God’s laws and commandments bizillions of times, the verdict isn’t a good one. In fact, the Bible uses an unpopular term for that (sin) and says everyone guilty of it goes to a very unpopular place (hell).
Few people want to think about death. Even less want to deal with Jesus or the prospect of languishing in a lake of fire for eternity.
Here’s what the Bible says about it:
· ...All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (Rom. 3:23)
· ...The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Rom. 6:23)
· ...God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Rom. 5:8)
· If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. (Rom. 10:9)
So according to the biblical scenario, AC/DC had it right. We’re all on a Highway to Hell. However, it isn’t going to be a big rock and roll party with our friends. More like weeping and gnashing of teeth. Translation: not fun.
Which is why they call the Good News the Good News: we all have the opportunity to change course by accepting the forgiveness God provides through Jesus. Instead of hell, we get heaven.
You... me... AOC... We’ve all got a choice to make. Where do you want to go? Time is running out. Book your ticket today.
Click here for a clear outline of how to accept God’s offer of salvation and eternal life.